Phishing E-mails Target Smithereens

Cybernet Communications, Smithers-based a communications company, has advised residents of Smithers (Bulkley Valley, British Columbia, Canada) and nearby regions to treat e-mails with suspicion if they claim as communications from their ISP.

An e-mail, which seemed a Cybernet message, addresses the subscriber of an account and stated that because of too many discarded web-mail accounts, Cybernet was doing maintenance of their Digital Web-mail Server. The purpose is to increase the efficiency of spam filtering mechanism of Cybernet so that spam messages and viruses could be avoided, the e-mail said.

It also told the subscriber that for non-interrupted service, he should reply fast via e-mail with his current username and password and future password.

The e-mail then tried to look genuine and said that the user's account details were required merely to identify him.

Commenting on the fraudulent, phishing e-mail, Mike Polann, Systems and Support Employee at Cybernet Communications, stated that the latest phishing message was more destructive compared to the usual junk message as it provoked the recipient to "bite." This explained why the e-mail was termed "phishing," Polann contended, as reported by Interior-News on June 1, 2010.

The security researchers state that Canada is one country that supports cyber-criminals, especially phishers and spammers.

Therefore, people should be aware of some security tips which can prevent them from getting victimized with this type of phishing message. Netizens should remember that no genuine company like the ISP in the current case will ever request customers for their passwords or any other particulars related to their accounts via e-mail.

The e-mails, which appear urgent and ask recipients to reply instantly, should be treated skeptically.

Additionally, a genuine firewall and a similar anti-virus program should be deployed on users' computers. These would prevent from installing software embedded in phishing e-mails which can damage one's PC or secretly spy on his online activities. Actually, the anti-virus programs scrutinize inbound messages for potentially malicious content come through phishing e-mails. Finally, AV programs should be searched which identify both new and old viruses; successfully overturn damages; and become up-to-date automatically.